So you think you can Primal? May 30 day challenge page 20

[Sashi]

Awesome to get that kind of validation from a total stranger, Bevaboo. Other people are often better judges of our progress, since we can be super critical of things we still want to improve!

I got home from my Arizona trip to some validation of my own. After some indulgent eating (too much trailmix and a couple bad dessert choices), I somehow lost four pounds! I suspect this is more a product of my super hard work the week prior, which involved daily IFs, no sweets, and no snacks, but I also walked my ass off while there. I have had a sort of in between day today. Meals have stretched a bit long (into snacking territory), and I did nibble on a couple unsweetened carob raisins at the store, but I've made healthy choices by and large, and plan to start my IF routine again tomorrow, after a healthy and protein-packed dinner and a good night's sleep (got in after 2 last night, which has made me very munchy today...)

[Bevaboo]

Wow... Four pounds is HUGE, especially considering you indulged on your trip. But, you did work your butt off, so that may have had something to do with it, too. Whatever, whenever, give yourself a pat on the back for doing so well. That's about how much I've lost total for the past *month*, so that's awesome progress.

I wonder where everyone else disappeared to? We're coming up on the end of the challenge. I hope everyone just got busy!

[Tara]

I got to Day 30 a couple of days ago, since then I have been on my super strict No Fruit Challenge. No fruit allowed, not even a bite until the wedding! I need to get down for the wedding, I'm holding at 124, but I can definitely stand to lose a few pounds before I'm prancing around in my bathing suit for 8 days on our honeymoon! I haven't had any fruit for two days now, I'm not even craving it anymore! I'm also not craving dairy anymore, and I just feel really good. I'm feeling energized and just noticing that the foods I do eat now just seem so much more fulfilling and worth it! I am loving this, definitely going to stick with paleo eating from here on out, maybe add in butter (it's really the only way too cook eggs in my opinion) but I don't need all that yogurt and cheese and other dairy crap that I was indulging in! This has given me so much motivation!

[Tara]

Also, I love reading everyone's posts, so many inspirational and intelligent people here! Keep up the good work, let us know how you are all doing! We're rooting for you

[Cilla]

I haven't been posting at all since I joined this 30-day challenge. But I started IF-ing today and I just needed to let someone know how well it's been going. My collegues think I'm at freak foodwise, so I figured that you guys would appreciate my progress :-). I haven't had anything to eat since dinner last night at 6 pm. I'm planning to have lunch in about 30 min, that will break my fast after 18 hours! I'm so surprised at how easy this morning has been! I've kept busy and had som green tea, and now I am getting really hungry for my grassfed beef red thai curry in the fridge. yay!!!

[grokina]

Great work, everyone. I'm also finding that I have to cut fruit completely to deal with cravings. Not a huge deal for me, and it works.

My challenge is continuing for another 2 weeks. Things have gone well for the most part. Based on several factors, I've been eating more conventionally raised meats since moving in with my boyfriend. I eliminated dairy pretty much completely due to hormonal disruption but kept the meats because I can't afford grass fed as a grad student. Big mistake. I'm really frustrated by the amount of chemicals we are faced with ... and I'm also tired of eliminating food groups. But anyway, I'm going ahead with no dairy and no meats - just fish - for the rest of our challenge here.

Best of luck to all.

[Sashi]

Hmmm, sounds like the consensus is that fruit is a slippery slope for a lot of us. I'm wondering if dairy is like that for me. My vacation mindset lasted striaght through the long weekend, and, although I ate pretty healthily and was super active, I've gained back 3 of the 4 pounds. I think I might be retaining water, so I'm not sweating it, but I noticed I've been craving sweets like crazy, and also just snackier than usual. I had a couple bites of cheese at the farmer's market, a bite of yogurt or sour cream here or there, and a fair bit of fruit over the weekend, so I'm thinking I need to cut out all of that to get myself back on track appetite-wise. I woke up ravenous this morning. Waited nearly an hour to eat, but then I was too hungry to IF til lunch (congrats, btw, Cilla, on your 18 hours!), so I had my leftover dinner: grassfed beef and carmelized onions wrapped in collareds with some green chile pumpkin seed sauce. YUM. Then I saw my thyroid doc, who is increasing my levels, which should help a lot w/ the weight, and came home and had a couple sprouted almonds and a sip of coffee with chocolate protein powder. I think I'll need to cut that out as well. My husband has been thriving on it--his muscles are popping out, and he has lost every tiny morsel of fat he ever had, but I guess everyone's different. Back to strict paleo. Not just because it helps with weight loss/maintenence, but because it's empowering. I like feeling in control and healthy!

Good luck for those that are continuing with the challenge. I have only been doing it by fits and starts, so I'll definitely be starting up again today, with the intention of another fairly strict month. I do have a couple trips planned that will involve wine and chocolate, and that's okay, but I'll try to stick with optimal nutrition and exercise when I'm home. Summer's coming!